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Just after 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, roughly 27 hours before they were scheduled to play in a Class 4A boys basketball state semifinal against Bolingbrook, the Stevenson Patriots took the court at Carver Arena for the first time. Save for a smattering of fans, media members and IHSA and arena employees, the home of the Bradley Braves was a well-lit cavern with 11,000 empty red seats. Stevenson was running a little late for its shootaround — thanks to slow service at a Subway during the three-hour trip down from Lincolnshire — but the Patriots wasted no time getting into some defensive drills. Jalen Brunson, standing on the same court where he had experienced the...

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Just after 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, roughly 27 hours before they were scheduled to play in a Class 4A boys basketball state semifinal against Bolingbrook, the Stevenson Patriots took the court at Carver Arena for the first time.
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Jalen Brunson
Stevenson, G, Sr.
2014-15 stats: 23.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.3 apg
College: Villanova
The 6-foot-2 Brunson will go down as one of the top high school players in state history after leading the Patriots to their first Class 4A state title this...

Northwestern never has made the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
But one could argue Northwestern helped make the NCAA tournament.
After the National Invitational Tournament had its first postseason affair in 1938, Ohio State coach Harold Olsen...

No. 7 Michigan State 62, No. 3 Oklahoma 58: Denzel Valentine scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half to lead Michigan State to a 62-58 win over Oklahoma in an NCAA tournament East Regional semifinal on Friday night.
Counted out in...

Their job is to make the head coach look good. And to leave opposing players in tears.
When the brackets are revealed on Selection Sunday, the players celebrate. Parents make travel plans. Head coaches knock out media responsibilities. The assistants...

OMAHA, Neb. — While Wisconsin was huddled on stools midway through the second half Sunday night against Oregon, an arena announcer declared that forward Sam Dekker's previous 3-pointer had been reviewed and ruled just a two-pointer.
As if things needed...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Travis Trice received a text message Sunday from Golden State Warriors forward and former Michigan State player Draymond Green that read: "Don't let this be your last game."
The Spartans' senior guard texted back, "It...

The calendar said March 1, but Tom Izzo knew better. It's not March until the brackets come out.
So on the day that followed Feb. 28, Izzo set a lineup at Wisconsin that didn't include his most important player. He benched the bruising Branden Dawson,...

Out of more than 11.57 million brackets in an ESPN-sponsored NCAA tournament challenge, only one remained intact after the opening round of games. That tells a small picture of a typically March-like opening to March Madness.
The means for bracket...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame was still basking in the glow of its ACC tournament victory Sunday. Seniors Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton were wearing the nets Notre Dame cut down at Greensboro Coliseum while watching where their team would be seeded...

At Valparaiso, they welcomed fans into the student union to revel in the return to an NCAA tournament the Crusaders coach, Bryce Drew, helped make special 17 years ago with a shot famous enough to use in commercials.At Notre Dame, the ACC champs all...

Get to know No. 1: Nobody takes better care of the ball than Wisconsin. That's the Badgers' trademark. What stands out about this season's Badgers is how they couple explosive plays with precision plays. Frank Kaminsky headlines, but forwards Sam Dekker...

Get to know No. 1: Villanova has put together a 15-game winning streak against the nation's 25th-toughest schedule and won the Big East tournament. The Wildcats have a top-five offense and top-15 defense in efficiency ratings. Daniel Ochefu is the post...

Everybody's talking about Kentucky, the most heralded college basketball team this season.
It's almost as if the biggest question is who is the second-best team in America? (And, no, you can't choose Kentucky's bench.)
The most serious question entering...

Under the heading of you never can get too much information, here are some highlights from ESPN analysts breaking down the bracket for the NCAA tournament Sunday night.
All of the analysts picked Kentucky to win with one exception: Jay Williams...

President Barack Obama is predicting that Kentucky will remain undefeated and take home the title in the NCAA tournament.The basketball fan in chief says there's a good reason the Wildcats are the prohibitive favorite in the tournament after going...

Predicted top four seeds in NCAA tournament
1. Kentucky: Not that this deserves an explanation, but the undefeated Wildcats own the nation's top RPI. Not only have the Wildcats gone 33-0, they have won convincingly against 10 top-50 RPI teams.
2....

In just four days, teams learn their fates.
Some already are sealed. Others can change during conference tournaments. And a few hinge on the downfall of other teams.
Conference tourneys this week could be the make-or-break moments for college basketball...